unt a hole
and pull it in after you!" fairly screamed Waldo, turning in flight.

CHAPTER II. PROFESSOR FEATHERWIT TAKING NOTES.

"To the house!" cried the professor, raising his voice to overcome
yonder sullen roar, which was now beginning to come their way. "Trust
all to the aeromotor, and 'twill be well with us!"

The wiry little man of science himself fell to work with an energy which
told how serious he regarded the emergency, and, acting under his lead,
the brothers manfully played their part.

Just as had been done many times before this day, a queer-looking
machine was shoved out from the shed, gliding along the wooden ways
prepared for that express purpose, while Professor Featherwit hurried
aboard a few articles which past experience warned him might prove of
service in the hours to come, then sharply cried to his nephews:

"Get aboard, lads! Time enough, yet none to spare in idle motions. See!
The storm is drifting our way in deadly earnest!"

And so it seemed, in good sooth.

Now fairly at its dread work of destruction, tearing up the rain
dampened dirt and playing with mighty boulders, tossing them here and
there, as a giant of olden tales might play with jackstones, snapping
off sturdy trees and whipping them to splinters even while hurling them
as a farmer sows his grain.

Just the one brief look at that aerial monster, then both lads hung fast
to the hand-rail of rope, while the professor put that cunning machinery
in motion, causing the air-ship to rise from its ways with a sudden
swooping movement, then soaring upward and onward, in a fair curve, as
graceful and steady as a bird on wing.

All this took some little time, even while the trio were working as men
only can when dear life is at stake; but the flying-machine was
afloat and fairly off upon the most marvellous journey mortals ever
accomplished, and that ere yonder death-balloon could cover half the
distance between.

"Grand! Glorious! Magnificent!" fairly exploded the professor, when he
could risk a more comprehensive look, right hand tightly gripping the
polished lever through which he controlled that admirable mechanism. "I
have longed for just such an opportunity, and now--the camera, Bruno! We
must never neglect to improve such a marvellous chance for--get out the
camera, lad!"

"Get out of the road, rather!" bluntly shouted Waldo, face unusually
pale, as he stared at yonder awful force in action. "Of course I'm not
scared,